A 200 feet by 450 feet professional size soccer field is being constructed at Hendrix Park. County Recreation Director Pratt Lockwood said it should be ready for play by September.

The field is big enough to contain 12 simultaneous 12U games or 15 6U games.

It was just last year when rec soccer was introduced to North Bryan. Lockwood said the creation of the Hendrix Park soccer grounds is a testament to both the success of this past soccer rec season as well as the belief in the potential of soccer in North Bryan.

"Look at how successful it is in Richmond Hill," Lockwood said. "It started out slow there before they got big in a hurry. We look to follow a similar trend on the north end. If soccer takes off like we all think it will, I anticipate to build more fields in the near future."

Soccer players have been playing on the baseball fields. Lockwood said they will continue to do so until the soccer field is ready for play.

Lockwood said County Commissioner Ed Bacon is a big supporter of this project and was a tremendous help in getting the soccer fields approved by the county.

Grass has been down for about six weeks, and the field is currently about 85 percent covered. The lights and bleachers have been ordered and opening bids on the installation of the lights are slated for July 21.

"It’s kind of like ‘Field of Dreams’ – if you build it, they will come," said North Bryan soccer coordinator Bryan Woods. "We had 65 kids sign up last season. I look to have at least a hundred this go-round."

Woods pointed to the growth in the area, saying all the new subdivisions should bring more soccer participants.

"It’s an awesome opportunity for Hendrix Park and I commend our officials for taking this step," Woods said. "Right now we’re trying to get some parent coaches. We’ll have to train them, but that’s all part of it."

Woods said there are quality soccer camps coming to Hendrix Park. Woods has tapped into a program sponsored by the European company that is tied to the Los Angeles Galaxy – the pro team that David Beckham is on.

"The program was created to nurture moving the US to that genre, and it’s one of many exciting soccer plans we have for North Bryan," Woods said.

For more information, call Hendrix Park at 667-7998.